VSCode Commands Executor

Enables the execution of vscode commands on open startup vscode via the vscode:// URI, keyboard shortcuts and based on workspace conditions

Features

Executing commands via the vscode:// URI

code --open-url 'vscode://ionutvmi.vscode-commands-executor/runCommands?data=[{"id": "workbench.action.editorLayoutThreeRows"}, {"id": "workbench.action.files.newUntitledFile"}, { "id": "default:type", "args": { "text": "Very nice !" } }]'

code --open-url 'vscode://ionutvmi.vscode-commands-executor/openFiles?data=[{"path": "C:/tmp/test.txt" }]&layout=TwoColumns'

code --open-url 'vscode://ionutvmi.vscode-commands-executor/openFiles?data=[{"path": "C:/tmp/test.txt", "column": "Two" }]&layout=TwoColumns&newWindow=true'

Depending on what terminal you are using you might need to url encode the data:

# To work correctly in powershell
code --open-url 'vscode://ionutvmi.vscode-commands-executor/runCommands?data=%5B%7B%22id%22%3A%20%22workbench.action.editorLayoutThreeRows%22%7D%2C%20%7B%22id%22%3A%20%22workbench.action.files.newUntitledFile%22%7D%2C%20%7B%20%22id%22%3A%20%22default%3Atype%22%2C%20%22args%22%3A%20%7B%20%22text%22%3A%20%22Very%20nice%20%21%22%20%7D%20%7D%5D'

code --open-url """vscode://ionutvmi.vscode-commands-executor/openFiles?data=%5B%7B%22path%22%3A%20%22C%3A%2ftmp%2ftest.txt%22%20%7D%5D&layout=TwoColumns"""

Executing commands via custom keyboard bindings

To register custom keyboard shortcuts for a groups of commands follow the examples below.

[
  // keybindings.json
  {
    "key": "ctrl+alt+/",
    "command": "vscode-commands-executor.run",
    "args": {
      "command": "openFiles",
      "args": {
        "layout": "TwoColumns",
        "data": [
          {
            "path": "C:/tmp/test.txt",
            "column": "Two"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  },
  {
    "key": "ctrl+alt+\\",
    "command": "vscode-commands-executor.run",
    "args": {
      "command": "runCommands",
      "args": {
        "data": [
          {
            "id": "workbench.action.editorLayoutThreeRows"
          },
          {
            "id": "workbench.action.files.newUntitledFile"
          },
          {
            "id": "default:type",
            "args": {
              "text": "Very nice !"
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
]

Supported commands

openFiles

Opens a list of files and optionally configures an editor layout.

Parameters:

Parameter	Required	Description
data	Yes	Array of objects - contains the list of files that will be opened. A file consists of the following: - `path` - full path to the document on the disk - `column` - The location of the files in the configured layout. Possible values are described in the `vscode.ViewColumn`
layout	No	String - Triggers the following command before opening the files: `workbench.action.editorLayout<layout>`
newWindow	No	Boolean - If false the files are opened in the topmost vscode window. If true it will first open a new window then open the files.

runCommands

Executes a sequence of pre-defined commands.

Parameters:

Parameter	Required	Description
data	Yes	Array of objects - contains the list of commands to be executed. A commands consists of the following: - `id` - Required - the id of the command that will be executed - `args` - Optional - The arguments of the command.
newWindow	No	Boolean - If `false` the commands are executed in the topmost vscode window. If `true` it will first open a new window then open the files.

Executing commands on vscode startup (initial open of vscode)

// settings.json
// run a command on every startup
  "vscode-commands-executor.startupRules": [
        {
            "commands": [
                { "id": "workbench.action.files.newUntitledFile" }
            ],
            "message": "Opening untitled file",
            "conditions": ["always"]
        }
  ]

// settings.json
// run a sequence of commands on startup if the workspace contains test.json
  "vscode-commands-executor.startupRules": [
        {
            "commands": [
                { "id": "workbench.action.files.newUntitledFile" },
                {
                    "id": "default:type",
                    "args": [{
                        "text": "Much wow!\nWhat a time to be alive!"
                    }]
                }
            ],
            "message": "Found test.json processing...",
            "conditions": ["hasFile: **/test.json"]
        }
  ]

// settings.json
// run a sequence of commands on startup if the one of the workspace folders is test
  "vscode-commands-executor.startupRules": [
      {
          "commands": [
              { "id": "workbench.action.files.newUntitledFile" },
              {
                  "id": "default:type",
                  "args": [{
                      "text": "Initialization complete !"
                  }]
              }
          ],
          "message": "Found workspace folder processing...",
          // both conditions need to be true for the commands to run
          "conditions": [
              "hasWorkspaceFolder: test",
              "hasFile: **/test.reg"
          ]
      }
  ]

// settings.json
// run a command with complex arguments, no notification is displayed if the message is empty/not specified
  "vscode-commands-executor.startupRules": [
      {
          "conditions": ["always"],
          "commands": [
              {
                  "id": "script-plus.commands.scriptControl.execute",
                  "args": [
                      {
                          "name": "show-info-message",
                          "description": "",
                          "lang": "ts",
                          "argumentConfig": {}
                      }
                  ]
              }
          ]
      }
  ]

Startup rules structure

Property	Description
conditions	Array of strings, supported values: - always - never - hasFile: **/test.reg - hasWorkspaceFolder: test
commands	Array of objects (commands). Specifies the sequence of commands that will be executed if the condition is true.
args	Array of any. Represents the arguments to the command
message	String. Represents the notification message displayed if the commands will execute.

Release Notes

CHANGELOG.md

1.1.0 - 19-Nov-2022

Implemented support for startup commands executions.

1.0.0 - 30-Jan-2022

Initial Release

Author

Mihai Ionut Vilcu

Commands Executor

Mihai Vilcu